


the little boy in the grass

by elizabethisnotcool



Series: listen to the music [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Based on Little Boy in the Grass by AURORA, aang & oc - Freeform, aang talks about his life, the gaang is there briefly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:35:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28556232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizabethisnotcool/pseuds/elizabethisnotcool
Summary: Sometimes, you just need someone to talk to. Stranger or not.
Relationships: (briefly) - Relationship, Aang/Katara (Avatar)
Series: listen to the music [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2092260
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	the little boy in the grass

NO ONE EVER BELIEVED JULI WHEN SHE SAID SHE HAD ONCE MET THE AVATAR. She had insisted on calling him Aang, and always said it wistfully like she was longing for an old friend. But her story was so outlandish, her own blood refused to accept it as truth. 

Her story began on a day like every other had been as of late. The air rung high with peace and whispers of harmony. The birds sang in the trees as if they knew the war was over. No longer was anyone wary, but spry and alive with the prospect of being human again. The wind blew with a new determination. It wanted to carry the noise of joyous children and the music of a newly melodic world. 

Juli happened to be walking a path of lush green trees and foliage, observing them noiselessly as she thought. She hadn’t planned on being alone, for Juli was never much one for silence, but everyone seemed to have something to do today that did not include taking a walk with Juli. Nevertheless, Juli ordained to have a walk with herself, but quickly discovered her own company was not nearly as fun. She longed for stories and conversation, but no one was there to share their lives with her this time. 

Juli walked on alone in silence until she could see a clear passing only occupied by one soul. Eager to have someone else's presence, especially the company of a stranger, she rushed to the oddly dressed fellow and sat down. The boy beside her seemed young, only twelve or thirteen. He did not start when she sat beside him, only gave her a small, fleeting smile. Juli adjusted her knees to be hugged to her chest before she began speaking.

“Hello.” 

The boy looked at her before responding. “Hello.”

“What is your name, stranger? Mine’s Juli.” The boy didn’t look shocked, like so many strangers seemed to be when she commenced a conversation without prompt. The boy looked at ease, like he wanted someone to ask his name and talk to him.

“Aang.” 

“What’s your story Aang?” Juli asked. 

“My what?” The boy, Aang, still didn’t look shocked, if even mildly surprised. He just seemed a bit off put. Juli liked him already. 

“Your story. Everyone’s got one. What brought you to this point right now in your life?”

Aang thought for a second. 

“It’s a long one.”

“I've got all the time in the world.”

The boy shifted, as if trying not to let his words burst out of him. Aang wasn’t surprised when they did though. He had been aching for a release since the end of the war. He had shared hard moments and death defying, split second decisions with his truest friends, but when you were the Avatar, you couldn’t exactly go spewing your thoughts and feelings everywhere.

Aang began at his lonely childhood at the air palace, and described his excruciatingly long stint in an iceberg. He told her of his favorite person in the entire world rescuing him and helping him adjust to life one-hundred years later. He spoke of his brother-figure, Sokka (“More like bother figure.” Aang laughed.) and his role in their adventures. He told Juli of all his friends, and described them each in perfect detail. He spoke of Air Temples and exquisite palaces and beautiful sights. He spoke of heartbreaking choices and nightmares and daydreams and everything in between. 

Juli listened intently the entire time, only once moving to lay down in the soft grass beneath her. When he burst into tears, she wiped them like the estranged older sister she felt like. When he was done he asked her a question, one he had been longing to ask someone since he had become no longer human. He was a weapon, and the fate of weapons didn’t matter if they win their wars. 

“When will my healing come?” 

Juli had pulled the no-longer-stranger to her chest. 

“Healing comes when you hold on.” 

The sun began to wave them goodbye and its sister ached to take his place. Aang supposed he should be getting home, and Juli supposed the same. Juli offered to walk Aang home and he did not refuse. The two were now like old friends he supposed, and they would not see eachother again. 

Juli and Aang saw the outline of the palace just as the sun was truly gone. She heard Aang sigh as he saw his band of friends accommodating the entrance of the palace. They looked fervent with worry and two of them were pacing opposite of eachother. The girl sitting on the front step called something out to the others, and they stopped and looked in Aang’s direction. Some actually laughed with relief and one of the girls came running to him with a relieved smile clouding her face.

“You know, I think you can tell them anything. Goodbye Aang.” Juli said with a smile, turning and walking away back the way she came. 

Katara reached Aang as Juli left and pulled him into a tight hug. She doted on him for a minute more (“Are you okay? Are you hurt? Why did you run away?”) before asking about the girl who was long gone now.

“Who was that girl who was with you?”

“A stranger.”


End file.
